Akkarin
The High Lord of the Guild, Akkarin is one of the most powerful Magicians of his time. Although his strength seemed to match his friend Lorlen's, he left the Guild soon after graduation to explore (though he claimed he was gathering information on ancient magic). When he returned he was exceptionally stronger. Until he takes over Sonea's guardianship, no one in Kyralia (except the Sachakans - including his servant Takan) knows why, but he reveals to Sonea that it is because he practices (forbidden) black magic. Akkarin is a dark character whose silent and mysterious demeanor was influenced by his travels after his education during which he was captured by a Sachakan Magician and forced into slavery. It was during this slavery that he fell in love with the bed-slave of his master and learned black magic in order to escape. When the Ichani began sending spies to Imardin to discover truths, he finds and kills them in order to dissuade rumours (spread by the brother of the Sachakan Ichani he killed to escape slavery) that the Guild has banned Higher Magic (which includes the absorption of another's power - which can regenerate - in order to gain immense power beyond the natural level) and have called it "Black Magic", this would mean the guild is weak and Kyralia vulnerable. Due to his love and loyalty for the slave-girl (who's master killed her for extra power) and secret life, he never married or had children, though many women have ambitions regarding him and he is frequently described as extremely handsome When Akkarin discovers Sonea, Lord Rothen and Lord Lorlen know of his use of black magic he formally claims her guardianship without question (his position as High Lord grants him this privilege) but uses her as a hostage to prevent Lorlen and Rothen from exposing him, thereby preventing him from killing the spies and/or revealing Black Magic as banned to the Sachakans and spies, leading to an invasion. However, he is eventually framed for the murder of a guild magician, and while he is with Sonea killing a Sachakan spy (soon to be revealed as the first Ichani to be sent to Kyralia) his residence is found empty, and searched. Here the Guild discovers books on black magic in Sonea's room, since the learning or seeking of learning of black magic is forbidden, the magician's are encouraged to break into the basement of the residence, protected by a magical lock, and here a trunk full of books explaining black magic is found. When Akkarin returns, he is trialed. He explains his past and the threat from Sachaka, yet is still exiled for his use of black magic (which is better than the original punishment of execution). He is sent to the nearest country, not of the Allied Land. This is Sachaka. Sonea is offered to stay with the Guild, though she may never leave its premises and can never have a position of authority. Sonea, enraged (that they, knowing the hatred of Sachakans and the Ichani, would sent Akkarin to his death, yet keep her here in case the threat was genuine), angrily refuses and is sent to exile with Akkarin. This she accepts in hopes of being able to be used as a source of power by Akkarin so he may remain alive, and still be able to save Kyralia when the time comes. While in the Sachakan wastelands, it is discovered that Sonea has had feelings for Akkarin as he has had for her, and once confirmed, they fall in love, though he attempts to resist any relations, and says it is "improper" for the 13 year age difference, when in truth, Sonea has been testing his loyalty with his first love. After minutes of consideration, he gives in. Akkarin, still intending to help prevent the invasion, travels back to Imardin with Sonea. They work with the Thieves to prevent the invasion and are successful, though many are killed, including Akkarin. He dies protecting Kyralia. He is tricked into allowing a weapon into his shield and is stabbed by the Ichani's dagger. He does not let Sonea use magic or time healing him, arguing that if she does, they will both die and fail. Sonea defeats two of the remaining three Ichani but finds her power failing. Feeling one last slither of power, she uses it to kill the last. She looks down at Akkarin still in her arms, to find him staring past her, his eyes open and out of focus, with a smile on his lips. Realisation hits her, she sends her senses within him and finds no life energy. She realises he had given her that last vital sliver of power in order to kill the Ichani, and left nothing in himself, to maintain his life. Sonea cries, with herself cradled over his body, never knowing she is pregnant with his son. Powers and Abilites Akkarin is an incredibly strong magician. As a pupil of the Guild, he was top of his classes - leaving Lorlen to be second place (who later went on to become Administrator, and was one of the most powerful magicians of the Guild). Later, after being captured by the Ichani, he is taught to use Black Magic to kill his 'master'. He is capable of deception and trickery as he succesfully lied and managed to get the Ichani to drink a poisoned drink. He then proved capable - after just one brief lesson in Black Magic - to defeat the more expierienced and powerful Inchani, although he was severly weakened due to the fight. He also proved able to survive in the wilderness, as he managed to escape from Sachaka and back into Kyralia without being killed, eaten alive, captured, dying of hunger, thirst, exhaustion, heat, cold or stupidity. He is also skilled in deception of his close friends and confidents - more than capable of decieving his friend Lorlen into thinking he had failed his quest for ancient knowledge and had lost the large part of his knowledge in the last part of his journey. He kept the facade up for years without anybody suspecting anything, until Sonea showed Lorlen the Black Magic ritual during her hearing. He can also be manipulative as he mentions how he will renogotiate the prices of his favourite wine bottle - aiming to reduce it from 20 gold a bottle to a more agreeable amount. He also manages to stop Rothen, Sonea and Lorlen from revealling his use of Black Magic - albeit through the use of threats. He successfully convinces the strong headed Sonea that his use of Black Magic is justified and further, that she should help - although not quite in the way he expected. After learning Black Magic, Akkarin gained strength enough to fend off the 20 strongest guild members when they tested him to become High Lord. He has since gradually been increasing his power through the willing donations of his servant, and more recently - and briefly - Sonea. These were slowed however, due to the fact that the Ichani would send assassins to 'test' his strength to discover whether they would be capable of defeating the Guild or not and conquering Kyralia. He was trained to be a warrior and is adept in multiple different strategems to defeat opponents, with much expierience in the matter of actual battle due to his confrontations with the spies. He is capable of unleashing devasting combinations of attacks that would overwhelm all but the strongest opponents. Akkarin could also create powerful, flawless illusions, such as when he created 'Lorlen' and made him attack the Ichani during his final fight. However, what perhaps made Akkarin most powerful was his mind capabilities. He was able to read minds at a distance, bipass any barriers they tried to set before him and even control what they thought about. It was this ability that helped him hide his secret for years and pass unnoticed amoung many of his old friends. He also proved a capable teacher, able to teach Sonea quickly and efficiently.